\usepackage{keyval}
\newlength\Colsep
\setlength\Colsep{10pt}

\makeatletter
\define@key{columns@col}{T}[true]{\vspace{.5cm}}
\makeatother

\newenvironment{columns}[1][]
	{\setkeys{columns@col}{#1}
	 \noindent\begin{minipage}{\textwidth}}
	{\end{minipage}\vspace{.5cm}}

\newenvironment{column}[1]
	{\begin{minipage}[t]{#1}}
	{\end{minipage}}
